Window screen construction



July 9, 1940.

T. L. ATKINSON WINDOW SCREEN CONSTRUCTION Filed May 31, 1958 hveYfl'oYkinson ruman L. A

Patented July 9, 1940 UNETED stares WINDOW SCREEN CONSTRUCTION Truman L.Atkinson, Ludington, Mich. Application May 31, 193s, Serial Ne. 210.9144 Claims. (Cl. 15 -14) This invention relates to a window screenconstruction, the primary object and purpose. of which is to produce awindow screen having a light-gauge sheet metal frame which is verystrongly reinforced and strengthened at its corners to prevent anychange of angle of the side and end members ofthe frame with respect toeach other, and in which a screen is very simply and easily secured inthe frame and drawn tight in the operation of securing it in place,thereby producing a strong, yet light and effective window screen havingan. attractive appearance and one which is of very durable construction.This screen can be made in a single unit as illustrated or it can bemade in two units, each being substantial duplicates of the other, andthe two telescopically connected together for an extensible screen; butthe invention, insofar as the structure of the screen is concerned, isthe same whether in the single unit or in the extensible double unitform. 1

An understanding of the invention may be had from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a screen unit made in accordance with myinvention.

Fig. '2 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating the manner inwhich the screen is clamped and secured in place'in a press.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section through a side or end of thewindow screen after the completion of the connection of the screenmember to the frame member.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation showing the manner in whichthe corner reinforcing gussets are put in place prior to the attachmentof the screen element, and

Fig. 5 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 3, showing the mannerin which the. screen is connected at the corner portions of the frame inassociation with a gusset plate.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the drawing.

The screen frame is made of side and end members which are substantialduplicates. of each other except as to length, and each is made from asingle length of thin gauge sheet metal which is initially bent into theform shown in cross section in Fig. 2. One edge portion of the metalprovides a flange i which is continued as a web 2 and then bent into amuch longer flange 3, said flanges I and 3 and the web- 2 providing achannel. The flange at 3 is bent back upon itself, as indicated at 4,for a distance in a section 5 which is slightly over one-half of thewidth of the flange 3, and then the section 5 is return-bent as at 6 andcontinued in a terminal flange l which extends upwardly and inwardly atan acute angle to the horizontal, as shown. v I v The side and endmembers of the frame which may be of a'duplicate construction in crosssectionare placed together to make an open rec tangular frame, and atthe corners. substantially triangular shaped gusset plates 8 are placedwithin the frame. These plates, at their intermediate portions andwithin all edges thereof, are pressed to form an embossing 9 whichgreatly strengthens thegusset. The side .edge portions FFECE; A i

operation at the points indicated at ill, the fisets are secured inplace and the side and end membersof the frame e a After the frame hasbeen thus assembled and. secured it, together. with asuitablerectangular piece of wire screen II is placed upon a die l2, which has araised central portion to come immediately within the bends at 4 of theframe members, while said frame members are seated against the upperside of the die around such raised portion, as shown in Fig. 2 with theedge portions of the screen ll extending over the sections 5 and withinthe upwardly and inwardly turned sections 1 and also over thegussetplates 8 at the corners of the frame. The punch l3 is providedwith downwardly extending clinching margins M which come directly overthe flanges 'i. Within the downwardly extending margin portions 14 is afollower plate l5, spring permanentlysecured topressed downwardly b-ycoiled springs I6, which yond the bend 4, thereby automaticallyimparting a tension to the screen in all directions. Where the screen isover the gusset plates 8, said plates are similarly formed with ribssuch as l8 over the said humps 4 so that tension to the screen isimparted around all its side and end edge portions.

It will further be observed that the embossed intermediate portions 9 ofthe'gusset plates 8 lie within the inner edges of the metal frame andprevent any wracking of the frame or stressing thereof at the cornerswith consequent deformation such as would change the angle of an endmember or a side member of the frame to a different angle than the rightangle at which assembled.

The construction is one of very practical merit. Such structure iseasily formed and assembled. The channel provided by the web 2, frame Iand the outer portion of the frame 3 can be made to serve as a guide fora second screen unit slidably received Within the channels of the upperand lower side members of the frame, in which case one of the endmembers of the frame would be modified somewhat to permit the telescopicreception of the frame of the other unit. However, insofar as thepresent invention isconcerned, it is not different substantially whetherthe screen is completed as a single unit as illustrated or whether twoof substantially similar units are telescopically connected together.

' The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to beconsidered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within theirscope.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, an open rectangular frame ofsheet metal having inwardly extending flanges, gusset plates locatedwithin the corners of said frame and having edge portions thereofextending over said flanges, said flanges including an integral clampingmeans underneath which the gusset plates at said edge portions pass, ascreen within said frame having its edge portions extending over thegusset plates and over said flanges, said clamping means clamping thescreen at its edge portions against said frame flanges and against saidgusset plates.

2. A window screencomprising, an open frame of sheet metal havingparallel side and end members, each of said frame members being of alength of sheet metal having a fiat inwardly extending flange and at itsinner edge bent upwardly and outwardly upon itself for a distancegreater than half the width of said flange and then continued upwardlyand inwardly at an acute angle, substantially triangular shaped gussetplates at the corners of said frame having edge portions extending oversaid return bent portions of each frame member and underneath saidupward and inwardly inclined terminal portions, a screen filling theopening of said frame and having its edge portions extending over thegusset plates and underneath said upwardly and inwardly inclinedterminal portiOns, whereby on pressing said upwardly and inwardlyinclined terminal portions downwardly against the screen, the screen andgusset plates are clamped in place.

3. A window screen comprising, an open rectangular frame having sheetmetal sides and ends connected together at their corners, a bead at theinner edges of the frame members formed by a return bend in said edges,a screen filling the opening in the frame, a gusset plate in each cornersecured thereto by a single weld at its corner, and integral clampingmeans on said return bent portion to clamp said screen and gusset plateagainst each other and to the frame.

4. The combination with a window screen having an open rectangular frameincluding sheet metal sides and ends connected at their corners, of areturn bent portion on each of said sides and ends, integral clampingmeans on said return bent portion, a screen filling the opening of saidframe, and a gusset plate for each corner, said plate and screen beingheld against each other and against the frame by said clamping means.

TRUMAN L. ATKINSON.

